Pneumatic bobbin stripping apparatus and method



E. A. TERRELL July 31, 1934.

PNEUMATIC BOBBIN STRIPPING APPARATUS Ann Int-non] Filed May 16, 1931 :5sheets-sheet- -1 E. A. TERRE'LL July 31, 1934';

PNEUMATIC BOBBIN STRIPPING APPARATUS AND IETHOD Filed May 16, 1931 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 31, 1934 PATENT OFFICE PNEUMATIC BOBBINSTBIPPING APPA- RATUS AND METHOD Edgar A. Terrell, Charlotte, N. 0.,assignor'to The Terrell Machin e Company, Charlotte,

N. 0., a corporation of North Carolina Application May 16, 1931, SerialNo. 537,823

20 Claims.

The invention relates to methods and apparatus for pneumaticallystripping waste yarn from bobbins.

A principal feature of novelty and advantage is the provision of meansfor directing a plurality of air jets under suitable pressure indirections generally toward and angularly along the, axis of awaste-bearing bobbin supported or positioned for stripping, theinclination of the jets being toward the tip-end of the barrel, and thejets being preferably also directed substantially tangentially to thebarrel, producing a flow of air spirally around the bobbin, resulting inrapid and complete unwinding and removal of the waste yarn. When thebobbin being stripped is supported for rotation, the described jetarrangement also has the effect of rapidly rotating the bobbin in adirection opposite to that of the tangential path of the jets, thus tounwind and pay-ofi the yarn, as well as carrying the end of yarnreversely around the axis of the bobbin, so that the stripping action isby this rotation additionally greatly augmented.

Briefly described, in accordance with the embodiment here disclosed, thegeneral plan of construction and operation is such that the bobbin to becleared of waste is placed in a sleeeve or flue provided with aperturesconstituting nozzles directed downward and tangentially inward in adirection opposite to the direction of winding of the yarn upon thebobbin. The tube or flue is located in the air jacket or casing to whichair is supplied under suitable pressure. The air jets directed into thetube and toward the bobbin, in the manner stated, cause the free end,and following portions of the yarn, to unwind from the bobbin and topass down through the tube and out of its lower end into a suitablechamber such as a lower compartment, to re- 40 ceive and retain thewaste and permit escape of air.

Preferably the bobbin is mounted or suspended in the. flue or tube insuch manner that it is free to rotate, and when it is subjected to theaction of air jets in the stated manner, properly arranged in the tubewall in relation to the bobbin and bobbin winding (as later more fullyexplained), the action or reaction of the air jets upon the bobbin andyarn, or the pull exerted on the yarn by the air suction, and actingupon the bobbin, causes the latter to rotate rapidly in a directionopposite to the direction of the air jets and also opposite to thedirection of winding, thus greatly expediting the unwinding and clean-56 ms action.

Preferably, a plurality of the tubes or flues are arranged in the airjacket, permitting simultaneous placing of and simultaneous cleaningaction upon a plurality of bobbins, which areinserted and removed insequence; and provision is also made for closing one or more of thetubes, when desired, to avoid waste of compressed air when it isunnecesssary tame the total number of tubes.

The air draft through the tube created by the airjets also acts on the.injector principle to cause external air to be drawn downward throughthe bobbin bore, to remove therefrom accumulated dirt, 11m, etc.

The invention also includes means for adjustably mounting the airnozzles upon their tubes or fiues, so that the direction of the jets maybe varied in accordance with the diameter of the bobbin-barrel, or. forother reasons.

Preferably, each tube is provided at its upper end with bobbin supportsin the nature of chucks or jaws, to engage under and support the bobbinhead, desirably in such manner as to permit bobbin rotation, andpreferably also the supports or jaws are adjustable to accommodatedifferent dimensions of bobbin barrels adjacent the head.

The methods or processes included in the invention will sufliciently beunderstood from the preceding and following description of the modes ofoperation of the apparatus; but it is to be understood that the methodis not limited to performance by the apparatus shown.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention are furthersufficiently explained in connection with the following detaileddescription of the accompanying drawings, which show one representativeembodiment. After considering this example, persons skilled in the artwill understand that many variations may be made without departing fromthe principles disclosed, and I contemplate the employment of anystructures or methods that are properly within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a stripping apparatus embodying theinvention in one form, with some parts broken away and in section.

Fig. 2 is a top view.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan detafl of a base ring or plate.

. Fig. 4 is a section at 4-4 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a single bobbinreceiving flue or tube.

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan of the same.

Fig. '1 is a plan view of one of the adiustabl bobbin supports or chuckmembers.

Fig. 8 is an edge view of the same.

. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of a tube-closing screw or plug.

Fig. is a combined elevation and section of a flue with adjustablymounted air nozzles.

Fig. 11 is a detail view of one of the adjustable nozzles.

Fig. 12 shows the arrangement of the device when operated by exhaustingthe air, instead of by compressed air.

A sheet metal shell or casing 1, usually cylindrical, is supported on abase-ring 2. This has a vertical angular flange 3 telescoped within thelower end of the shell, which is secured by it as by rivets 4. The shellor casing is divided by a substantially central horizontal partitionwall 5 into an upper portion 6 constituting an air jacket, and a lowerportion 7 constituting a wastereceiving chamber. For convenient removalof waste this waste-chamber has a door 8 hinged at 9 and provided with aquickly operable latch mechanism 10. Discharge of air from thewastechamber may be sufiiciently provided for by perforations 11 of ascreen constituting the center frame of the door, although of course themain jacket wall may also be perforated if desired.

The top of the air jacket 6 is closed by a topplate 20.

One, or as here shown, a plurality of bobbinreceiving tubes or flues 21are arranged to pass vertically through the air jacket. In a convenientarrangement the tubes are equally spaced in a circular series, as bestunderstood from Fig. 2. Plates 5 and have vertically aligned apertures22 and 23, to receive the tube ends, which may be tapered or shoulderedas at 24, Fig. 5, and the ends may be secured in the apertures eitherpermanently as by swaging or pressing the tube ends outward, or brazing,soldering, etc., or the tubes may be made removable to permitsubstitution of other tubes having nozzles of diflerent angularity toaccommodate bobbins of different diameters. Each tube has a plurality ofapertures 25 of moderate diameter, constituting nozzles, and

:these nozzle holes are bored through the tube in such manner that theyare directed inward and downward at a substantial angle to both thevertical and horizontal planes, say substantially 45, more or less, tothe tube axis, and are also directed inward in a substantiallytangential direction in relation to the surface of a bobbin barrellocated in the tube. Thus, as best shown in Fig. 6 and by comparisonwith Figs. 1 and 5, the axis of each tube aperture or nozzle is notdirected radially toward the tube axis, but has the direction of atangent of an imaginary circle of approximately the same diameter as thebobbin barrel. The angle of the nozzle axes in transverse planes of thetube, in relation to radii intersecting the nozzles, may besubstantially (more or less) depending on the diameter of the bobbin andof the tube.

Desiredly, the series of nozzles or nozzle apertures follows the courseor arrangement of a helix, the lead of which is preferably opposite "tothe direction of yarn-winding on the bobbin,

and the nozzle axes are also so directed angularly or tangentiallytoward the bobbin barrel that the air jets from these nozzles move inthe direction counter to that of the yarn-winding.

Air under suitable pressure from any desired source, such as anaccumulator or blower, is supplied to the air jacket 6 through anyconvenient nipple or other air connection such as 26.

Means is provided at the top of each tube for the support of a bobbintherein, this means being in the nature of jaws or chuck membersengaging under the bobbin head and embracing the barrel adjacent thehead with substantial looseness. Thus, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, foreach tube, two chuck or jaw-plates 30 are provided, one of these beingshown in detail in Figs. 7 and 8. Each chuck-piece has in its shankportion a lengthwise slot 31, and a screw 32 passes through the slot andengages in the top-plate 20, to secure the chuck-piece to the plate foradjustment toward and from the tube axis. Confronting such axis thechuck-plate is cut concave herein to provide jaws or jaw-faces 33,relatively angularly arranged. The chuck-pieces are adjusted to receivethe barrel 34 of a bobbin 35, Fig. 1, with liberal clearance, and alsoto provide sufllcient clearance for the waste 36 thereon; and when thebobbin is inserted its head 37 overlaps the jaws of the chuck-members,providing for support of the bobbin and also providing freedom forrotation, while the bobbin is centered with sufficient accuracy inrelation to the tube axis by the jaw formations 33.

Provision is made for closing the upper and lower ends of any tubeswhich are not required for use. For this purpose, suitable plugs areremovably inserted in the tube ends. As shown, each tube is providedwith an internal screw thread 38 at each end, to receive the threadedend of a screw-plug 39 (shown in detail in Fig. 9). This plug has aflange 40 overlapping the tube end, and a. flattened handle orfinger-piece 41 for convenient manipulation. Fig. 1 shows one of thetubes, and Fig. 2 shows two of the tubes, closed by the inserted plugs,thus avoiding any wastage of air through these tubes when not in use, asfor example, when the number of bobbins accumulating for stripping isnot equal to the full capacity of the apparatus. 5

In stripping short bobbins, whose barrels terminate above the lowernozzle apertures, such apertures may be temporarily closed by removableplugs.

It is found in practice that an apparatus with 2g fixed air jets, as sofar described, efliciently strips bobbins having greatly varying barreldiameters. Provision may be made, however, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11,for adjusting the jet directions whenever necessary or desirable, as forcleaning bobbins of right-hand or left-hand wind. In this arrangement,each flue or tube 21 is provided with a plurality of movably mounted.nozzle pieces 50, each of which has a spherical body 51 engaging in apart spherical socket 52, or aperture in the tube-wall, and is securedin angularly-adjusted position by a retainer 53, having a part sphericalsocket formation 54 and ears 55 through which screws 56 pass and engagein tapped holes in the tube-wall, to clamp the nozzle body in position.At its outward side the body preferably has a handle projection 57afiording means for convenient manipulation, and it may preferably butnot necessarily also have at the inward side a projecting member 58. Thejet hole 59 (preferably of Venturi form, as shown) is bored through thebody and its extensions 57 and 58. Fig. 10 also shows that the top-plate20 may be removably secured to the casing 1 as by screws 60, thusproviding for easy access to and removal of the tubes 21, for adjustmentof the nozzles, or in order to insert plugs in lower fixed nozzleapertures of the tubes shown in previous figures, as above referred to.

In accordance with the preferred procedure, 150

the operator places bobbins carrying waste in all all of the tubes ofthe apparatus, or all which are not rendered inactive by insertion ofthe plugs).

The unwinding action then takes place simultaneously on all of thebobbins and the operator removes the stripped bobbins and replaces themwith waste-carrying bobbins, in regular sequence.

A bobbin carrying waste being placed in a tube as shown in Fig. 1, airunder pressure in the jacket surrounding the tube passes inward throughall of the apertures 25, in the form of jets directed angularlydownwardly and inward and also substantially tangentially in a directioncounter to the direction of yam-winding, pro-- ducing strongair-currents whirling spirally around and along the bobbin. Any jetadjacent the free end of the waste will thus lift such end away from thebobbin and move it downward and in a rotary direction counter to itsdirection of winding, and all of the jets then act to rapidly unwindfollowing portions of the waste and carry it downward through the tubeand into the wastechamber, thus rapidly stripping the waste from thebobbin regardless of any rotary movement thereof or if such rotarymovement isdeilnitely prevented.

By the described means or mode of bobbin support, in which the underface of the head rests lightly on the upper faces of the chuck-members30, the bobbin readily rotates in response to any rotary force applied.The action of the air jets arranged and directed in the manner stated issuch that the bobbin is rapidly rotated, in a direction opposite to thedirection of the air jets and also opposite to the direction of windingof the yarn, so that the unwinding and cleaning action is very greatlyexpedited and made more positive and effective. I

In addition to the more or less direct effect of the jets acting uponthe waste thread or yarn to free and unwind it from the barrel,thecombined jets of course produce a powerful down draft or current ofair through the tube about the bobbin and out of the lower end of thetube into the waste-chamber to carry down the freed waste. This airissues through apertures in the chamber or its door (or door-screen, asshown), the waste being retained in the chamber.

The action of the air jets or the down draft in the tube also producesan induced draft of external air through the bobbin-bore 45. Asotherwise described, the air flow produced by the jets has an injectoraction effective at the lower end of the bobbin bore whereby air isdrawn in at the top of the bore and through it, to clean out lint, dust,etc" which may have accumulated therein, this lint or dirt beingdischarged into the waste-chamber along with the waste.

It will now be understood that in a broader aspect of the invention, thedescribed construction, or arrangement including the air jacket, one ormore tubes or fines, and air jet holes therein, is a representativeembodiment of any suitable means or arrangement for effectingwaste-removal from a bobbin or the like, by directing toward or againstthe bobbin barrel, air jets which move spirally around it preferably ina direction opposite to that of the yarn-winding; and also (whendesired) for producing by the action or reaction of such air jets andthe total air-flow, or by the reactive eifect of pull on the waste yarnso produced, or a combination of such actions or eilfects, a rotation ofthe bobbin in a direction adapted to unwind the yarn therefrom, wherebythe eflectiveness and speed of the stripping operation are greatlyenhanced.

It is to be understood that it is unnecessary for the bobbin to berotated in order to be properly stripped and cleaned by the jets.

While I have described an arrangement in which air is supplied underpressure from a blower or accumulator to the air-jacket 6, it will beunderstood that instead, if desired, air maybe exhausted from thedischarge ends of the flues 21, by means of the arrangement shown inFig. 12. Therein, the construction is as described, except that anaperture 29 permitting free entrance of atmospheric air replaces thecompressed air incasing is imprevious to air. A screen 28 extends acrossthe chord of a portion of the waste chamber, to screen an exhaust port27 in the side of this waste chamber which is connected to a vacuum pumpto exhaust the air from the waste chamber and the tubes in freecommunication with the latter. Air jets will in this case be caused toflow through the nozzle apertures in the desired manner, by pressure ofatmosphere surrounding the fiues. In either case the air jets are causedto flow through the nozzles and tangentially or angularly toward thebobbin barrel in the manner and with results fully described above.

.Since the maximum pressure available when the exhaust method is used,is approximately fifteen pounds per square inch, and there is nodefinite limit to the pressure at which air may be supplied to theair-jacket 6 by a compressor or the like, the latter mode of operationis preferredin some cases, and especially whenever the desiredpressure-difierence between the discharge ends of the flues and theoutward ends of the nozzle apertures, is greater than fifteen .poundsper square inch.

The door latch 10, as shown, consists of an arcuate latch strip 12guided on the door by a guide-piece 13 secured thereto. At its and awayfrom the door the latch has a finger-piece such as the loop-formation14. Adjacent this fingerpiece the latch strap has an opening 15 ofkeyhole form to cooperate with a headed stud 16 set in the casing wall.The latch is normally retracted by a spring 1'7 secured to a stud orscrew 18 on the door. Figs. 1 and 2 show the latch in door-retainingposition. To open the door the latch is moved arcuately by grasping thefingerpiece, to bring the enlarged portion of the keyhole aperture 15 toa position adjacent the stud axis, whereupon the latch will clear thestud and the door may be opened and accumulation of waste removed fromthe waste-chamber.

What is claimed as the invention is:-

1. The method of removing waste yarn from a bobbin or the like,comprising supporting the bobbin for rotation, and causing it to rotateby directing an air jet substantially tangentially toward the bobbin.

2. The method of removing waste yarn from a. bobbin or th like,comprising supporting the bobbin for rotation, and directing air jetssubstantially tangentially toward the bobbin barrel in a directioncounter to the directionof wastewinding thereon, whereby the bobbin isrotated in a direction opposite to that of the air-flow and the waste isremoved.

3. The method of removingwaste from a bobbin or the like, comprisingsupporting the bobbin for stripping, and unwinding the waste therefromby directing an air jet spirally around the bobbin.

4. The method of removing waste yarn from a bobbin characterized bydirecting an air jet spirally around the bobbin to unwind the wasteyarn.

5. In a bobbin-stripper, the combination with means for locating awaste-carrying bobbin for stripping, of means for directing an air jetspirally around the bobbin barrel.

6. In a bobbin-stripper, the combination with means for locating awaste-carrying bobbin for stripping, of means for directing a pluralityof air jets spirally around the bobbin barrel and in a directionopposite to that of the waste winding.

7. A pneumatic bobbin-stripper having in combination, means forrotatably supporting a wastecarrying' bobbin, and means for directingair substantially tangentially toward the bobbin producing rotation ofthe bobbin and stripping the waste therefrom.

8. A pneumatic bobbin-stripper having in combination, a tubularenclosure, means supporting a waste-carrying bobbin therein withcapacity for rotation, and means for directing air-flow substantiallytangentially within the enclosure about the bobbin whereby it is rotatedand the waste removed.

9. A pneumatic bobbin-stripper having in combination, a tubularenclosure, means supporting a waste-carrying bobbin therein withcapacity for rotation, and means for directing a plurality of air jetsangularly toward and along the bobbin in the direction of its tipwhereby the bobbin is revolved and the waste removed.

10. In a bobbin-stripper, the combination with a waste-carrying bobbinrevolubly supported for stripping, of means for directing a plurality ofair jets generally convergently and tangentially in relation to thebobbin barrel, causing bobbin rotation and expedited stripping action.

11. Stripping apparatus for bobbins or the like comprising a bobbinsupport, and means for directing a plurality of air jets inwardly andangularly toward the barrel of a supported bobbin to produce a flow ofair which whirls around the bobbin to unwind and remove waste therefrom.

12. Stripping apparatus for bobbins or the like comprising a tube andmeans for locating a wastecarrying bobbin therein, the tube having aplurality of air nozzles directed inwardly and angularly with respect tothe axis in a direction away from the bobbin head, and means forsupplying air under pressure to the nozzles, the inward and angularrelation of .the latter producing a whirling flow of air within the tubespirally around and along the bobbin.

13. In a bobbin-stripper, in combination, means for supporting awaste-bearing bobbin for stripping, and means for unwinding the wasteyarn from the barrel and for simultaneously cleaning 1,eea,791

the bore of the bobbin, including air-jets directed spirally around andalong the bobbin to unwind the yarn, such air-jets inducing a flow ofair through the bore.

14. In a bobbin-stripper, in combination, means for supporting awaste-bearing bobbin with capacity for rotation about its own axis, andmeans for simultaneously unwinding the waste yarn by carrying the freedportion of the yarn around the axis of the bobbin, and rotating thebobbin counter to the unwinding movement of such freed portion.

15. In a bobbin-stripper, in combination, means for supporting awaste-bearing bobbin with capacity for rotation, and means for directingair-currents obliquely of the bobbin to carry the freed end of the wasteyarn around the bobbin axis and to rotate the bobbin.

16. Bobbin stripping apparatus having in combination a support for awaste-bearing bobbin, and means for producing air currents directedspirally around the bobbin surface to unwind the waste and along thesurface to carry oif the waste as unwound.

l7. Stripping apparatus for bobbins or the like comprising a tubeadapted to enclose freely a bobbin barrel, air-supply means, meanssupporting a bobbin for rotation with its barrel within the tube, thetube having formations providing a plurality of air nozzles directedsubstantially inwardly and tangentially in relation to the barrel andproducing rotation of the bobbin in a direction opposite to that of theair jets.

18. Bobbin-stripping apparatus comprising an air jacket adapted forcontaining air under pressure, a tube passing through the jacket, andmeans for supporting a waste-carrying bobbin in the tube, the tubehaving a plurality of nozzles directed substantially tangentially towardthe bobbin barrel, the air jets supplied through the ,1

nozzles from the jacket acting to unwind the waste.

19. Bobbin-stripping mechanism, comprising a tube adapted to receive abobbin for stripping, and a plurality of air jet nozzles adjustablymounted thereon for directing air-jets substantially tangentially of thebobbin when within the tube in either clockwise or counter-clockwiserelation.

20. A pneumatic bobbin-stripper, comprising a casing adapted to containair under pressure and having a bottom wall and a removable top wall, aplurality of stripping tubes removably mounted in apertures in saidwalls, each tube being adapted to receive a bobbin for stripping andhaving a plurality of air jet apertures directed angularly inward.

EDGAR A. 'I'ERRELL.

